One More Rodeo
by XxX Just for Kicks XxX
Summary: Bella left Edward on there wedding day. 10 years later and three world championships later she returns home to Forks. And Edward wants an awnser to why Bella left in the first place, but Bella is protecting her heart, along with a secret. Norm. Pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note- If you guys like the introduction, I will continue. Please Review. Tell me what you think. Oh before I forget, you will soon be able to find my stories at TWCS, (The Writer's Coffee Shop, Love, from JFK.**

**Introduction- Las Vegas, December**

_**Six seconds. **_

**Six heartbeats that seemed to stretch on forever, between me and the prize. I could endure just about anything in those six seconds. A cowboy yelled in my ear, over the noise of the band. "You all set Bells?" He asked and I nodded once, gripped tighter and I set my feet as I leaned back another inch. **

_**Six Seconds. **_

"**Go!" The cowboy said, as the big gate swung back and the horse, Wild Fire, leaped sideways out of the chute, coming down rear end first. **

_**Stay Back. Stay Square.**_** A voice inside my head said, one that belonged- use to belong to my father Charlie. Fire's front hooves hit the dirt. **_**Use the spurs. Make it look pretty. **_**I dug in my heels asking him for another jump. Fire got the message. Fire twisted to the left, and my hat flew to the left. Don't think so, I thought as I easily slid with him. You aren't getting rid of me yet, he leaped in the air again. **

**Like wind and rain united in the force of a hurricane, I joined Wild Fire in elemental effort, that both us seemed to be driven by the same force, that no one could seem to try to explain or understand. We worked together as a team, communicating in a way that I couldn't even begin to explain in words. I only knew that when a ride was this good, I never wanted it to end. Then the only thing that could end this dream did. The sound of the electronic buzzer went off, signaling my ride was over. I twisted my wrist, slide my leg over the animals back and I aimed my body towards the pickup man beside me, Jasper. Fire and I separated, with one final jerk and the horse raced across the arena kicking up dust as he ran. I hit the dirt, landing on my knees. **

**As I stood, the crowd surged to there feet, cheering for me. I lifted my hands toward the sky, my hands balled up in fists "Yes!" I said and the clown Emmett, handed me my hat, giving me a kiss on the cheek as he placed my hat on my head. I tossed him a wink as I walked back towards the chute, leaning on Jasper. I waited until the band stopped and I waited for my score. A 97, a damn near perfect score, and I had earned my third world champion ship. I took a bow as I stood in the middle of the arena, scanning the spectators that were in the stands. One guy caught my attention.**

**He had bronze hair and green eyes, but he wasn't who I thought he was. But I didn't expect to see him again. I had left that part of my life behind, even though it hurt me, I never regretted my decision. Walking back towards my truck, I was caught in a crowd of giggling girls that ambushed me and I signed autographs, and climbed into my beat up red chevy truck. Jasper and Emmett where already in the truck waiting for me. Where ever I went, they came with me. They were all I had left, they where pretty much family. Actually they weren't pretty much family, they were family. I handed Jasper the engraved gold buckle and he put it in a bag with my other awards and checks that I hadn't cashed yet. **

**Jazz, Em and I agreed to make the trip from Vegas to Forks so I could deal with the demons of my past, plus I would be running a summer camp up there for kids with disabilities. I sighed as I pulled into a McDonalds. We would be pulling into a motel soon enough. Chilly air came through the heater and I had Emmett hit it to have the heat kick on. I wasn't going to make the entire trip to Forks with gloves and a winter jacket on. Rodeo life before Em and Jazz had been lonely. But the rodeo had been my life, even before I could walk. Some of my earliest memories of my dad had been watching him compete in the national finals for calf roping, and how proud he was when I took home my first blue ribbon for barrel racing with my pony Shadow Racer. I had never been a great student, couldn't play the piano like my mother, I could cook and bake decently but I had never had the sense of belonging like I did when I was on the back of the horse, or working with one. **

**If you wanted to succeed at something, if you made it your life and you sacrificed everything for it, I figured that you had to take the good times with the bad. Without complaining. Or, at least not to much. I tuned the radio to a country station and settled more comfortably in my seat, unbraiding my hair. Two weeks until Forks. Time to start heading home, I thought silently to my self. **

**AN: I do not own the characters, nor the story line. I am rewriting a story that is called One More Rodeo written by Lynnette Kent. I did change it to 1st**** person POV, and it is an Edward and Bella story. It will be about Fourteen Chapters, and no this was not a chapter. **

**ASK ME NICELY, and I will do Edward's POV next. 20 reviews for an update tonight. 15 for tomorrow. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

"Isn't she a beauty or what?" At the rancher's question I finished shrugging into my shirt and I moved stiffly to the stall. Inside the stall was a newborn appaloosa filly searching out her first drink of milk, serenaded by her mother's soft nickers. "Yes sir," I agreed softly, "I'd say that that's one of the prettiest fillies that I've ever had the pleasure of bringing into this world." I said, sighing softly. When I lifted my hands to start buttoning up my shirt I felt how tired I really was. "It wasn't easy though. And damn am I tired." Carlisle Cullen clapped me on the back. "But it's worth it. Some day this filly is going to earn me some money, and this time I don't mind paying the bill, Doc!" He chuckled and I shook my head, not bothering to remind Carlisle that he still hadn't paid me from last years foaling fees. It had been a hard winter and a late spring, but he knew that the rancher's would start paying up. They always did.

"Edward?" Alice, Carlisle's pride and joy, holding up a tray filled with pastries and two mugs of steaming coffee. "Mom told me to bring this out to you guys." She said as she peeked into the stall.

"Thanks Ali," I said taking a mug carefully, not sure that my hands would keep it steady. "Can't think of anything I'd like better," _Other than twelve hours of sleep. _"So how's the riding going?" I asked her. Alice rolled her eyes telling me about her latest triumphs in the arena, which delayed me a good ten minutes, but I always made time for my friends no matter how tired I was. Finally she got the hint that I was exhausted, and she was going to leave but only after promising that I would come out to see her ride soon and give her some pointers, which I agreed to. Then it was another ten minutes of Carlisle going over the finer attributes of his newest prize before I was allowed to climb into my truck and head for home. The trip from Carlisle's ranch to Flying Rock took a little better than an hour. The back roads were empty and there wasn't even a casual pair of head lights to distract me.

I sighed when I reached the edge of town. A rumble under my belt buckle told me that I had missed dinner. Five more minutes and then I could hit the sack. Right now sleep was way more important than food. But then I decided against it and decided to pull into the local diner. A beat up red chevy truck with Colorado plates was parked in front of the diner. I could see a customer's head through the rainy diner. A piece of Esme's chocolate pie wasn't such a bad idea, with a cup of decaf. Yeah a little comfort food would be great right now. I shut off my truck and I slid out of the front seat. I glanced in the seat of the pickup I parked next to and I seen a well worn saddle on the front seat. _A rodeo junkie,_ I concluded as I entered the diner. _Stopping in for a midnight snack before hitting the highway again._ I thought as I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw mahogany colored hair in a braid. My heart stopped and then picked up, racing three times as fast.

She sat in the middle of the diner with not one but two guys, laughing and talking quietly amongst themselves. A long time ago she'd shown me how to braid her hair like that and I could still feel the fineness of it in my fingers. And that was only one of the millions of things that I had remembered about Isabella Swan.

What the hell was she doing back in Forks? I didn't intend to ask. I blew out the breath that I had been holding and turned to leave. "Hey Doc!" Esme said and I turned towards Esme and smiled. "How's the foal look?" I hesitated before turning around. "What could I get you?" She asked. To my right I seen Bella start to move and our gazes locked. I saw the color drain from her face. _Well good. She deserved it after everything she put me through. _What ever the case, Forks was his home now, and she wasn't going to make me feel like I didn't belong here. Not that it mattered anymore. Bella had proved that nothing here mattered enough, not even me, to want to stay here. Belatedly I turned back to Esme.

"Could I have a piece of your chocolate pie and a cup of decaf? And the filly's beautiful. It was a little harder than normal, but seeing her was more than it. She's gonna be a star." I said sitting away from Bella. Esme nodded putting whipped cream on top of the large piece of pie she'd given me. "Hey Bella, been a long time." I said. _Understatement if there ever was one, _I thought silently. I took satisfaction in the fact that she had to clear her throat before she spoke. "Hello Edward. How have things been going?" She asked, and one of the guys eyed me carefully, pulling her closer to him.

"Great, thanks, and you?" I asked and I forced myself to move, managing to step around the corner of the bar. She shrugged.

"Good- great." She said twirling her fork in the remains of her chocolate pie. A sign that she was nervous. She always played with her food when she was nervous. I took in her pale face, her flashy blue performance shirt, and boots propped up in the other guy's lap. Impressive ones at that, navy blue ones with hand worked red tulips. She must be winning big I thought silently to myself, as usual. "Nice foot gear." I commented. "A little pricey for Rodeo work isn't it?" I asked. She flushed and a flash of panic and anger crossed her face.

"Yes it is. But I haven't spent any of my winnings yet. I was late to the arena in Seattle and I didn't have time to change if you must know." She growled. "This is Jasper Whitlock, and Emmett McCarthy, my friends. We've been traveling together for the past year." She turned to her friends. "Can you give us a moment?" She asked and they eyed the two of us carefully, before nodding and they walked over to the counter, taking their plates with them.

"How's your mother?" I asked picking a mutual topic. Bella shrugged.

"She's getting married soon to some baseball player. Phil Dwyer." I shifted my weight, suddenly aware of my stiffening muscles, and the acute need to sit down. But not with Bella. "That's what I heard. I don't here from her often. I send her a postcard at Christmas. I call her once a month. I see her once a year when she's in Phoenix with my mother." I said. "We still miss your parents around here. A lot's changed since Charlie died." But then again, nothing had been the same since Bella had left either. Life never turned out the way it should. Bella had taught me that lesson herself. "Carlisle Cullen, the new ranch owner did good by your mom. Paid fair market price. It's in good shape." Bella nodded, starting to play with her food again.

"I know, mom told me." She said glancing down at the mess she was making.

"I wanted a chance to talk to you when your dad died, but I couldn't find you." I stated as I walked over to the counter to get my slice of pie. I leaned on the counter as I started to dig into it. Five years ago, Charlie Swan's heart attack had been swift and devastating. Bella hadn't stayed in town more than two days after the funeral. And she didn't return any of my phone calls. _Big surprise there, _I thought to myself.

"I didn't hang around long. Mom moved to Florida to be with Phil. I had Jazz and Em waiting on me a few towns over. I had a show to do. You know how it is." Despite my resolve to stay calm, temper flared through my body. Yeah I knew how it was. Bella always had another show to go to. Another place to go. Another highway to ride. Always somewhere to run. A place where she could avoid her past. Even from the kitchen, Esme was a smart woman. She didn't miss to much. "Here's your cup of decaf. Did Carlisle decide on what he's going to name the filly?" I shook my head.

"I promised Ali that I would come and see her ride soon though. She's doing well. You guys must be proud." Esme nodded.

"She was looking for you at her last show." Then my cell phone went off and I glanced at the caller ID. Rose. I sighed as I tipped my hat at Bella.

"Well it's been good seeing you around. I heard about your win at nationals about a month ago. Congratulations, you deserve it. Take care of your self Bella." I said before I headed out of the diner, paying Esme for the pie and untouched coffee. "See you later Esme." I paused. "You've got what, six weeks until the baby comes? Are you gonna make it?" I asked and Esme smiled.

"Do I have a choice?" We laughed together. "Probably not," I answered. "But your looking good, all the same."

"For a beached whale."

"You know better than that." I said patiently, grateful for the distraction. "Pregnant mothers are the most beautiful women in the world." Dropped silverware from over where Bella was covered Esme's cynical snort.

"Sure Doc." Esme said when the place was quiet again. "Just call me sleeping beauty."

Chapter One, Part Two, Bella's POV

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, _I thought to myself as I picked up my dropped silverware. With exaggerated care I placed the fork and knife on the rim of my plate and I set them down in the middle of the plate so I wouldn't drop them again. It was stupid to let Edward's words upset me. _It's in the past. _It was even more stupid being here at all. I wondered what in the world possessed me to stop in Forks to begin with. Emmett and Jasper. That's what. I wondered why those two couldn't leave well enough alone. Every instinct in my body had told me not to stop here, and the only reason I had stopped was because all three of us where exhausted, and it wasn't safe for any of us to drive. We where tired, hungry and whatever damage I had done getting off that bronc Wildfire, back in LA, two weeks of driving hadn't improved my situation. A few minutes alone, would give me time to check out my foot. I couldn't really focus on anything but the pain. I didn't want Em and Jazz to have to worry about any of my injuries.

A good meal, a few minutes to prop up my foot and then a good nights sleep sounded to good to pass up. And then who should I run into? Edward Masen. The one man I hoped to avoid like the plague. I was only stopping in quick. I didn't want to endure long reunions. I was horrible at them anyway, I thought to my self. I spent a lot of time, and money making sure Edwards path, and my own never crossed. I didn't want to owe him an explanation. I just wanted him to move on with his life. And apparently he did with this Ali girl.

And now my luck had run out. He was there across the room leaning against the counter, acting like I wasn't even here talking about babies and pregnant women with Esme Cullen. All I could see of him was his bronze hair, hidden by his cowboy hat, as he relaxed. I admired his body but then I glanced away from him. He hadn't even conjured that crooked smile that I loved so much when we talked.

"Are you still thinking it's a boy?" I heard him ask Esme. "After two girls, I think you are due for a boy." Who knew he would be so interested in such things, I thought fiddling with my napkin. It was time to go. I couldn't take it much longer. The lease I could do this time is say goodbye I thought as I stood up and slid my plate next to Emmett and Jaspers, stacking them neatly to make it easier on Esme. Sure Edward and I had talked about children in a someday conversation, after the rodeo and vet school… But it had only been Edward to think of it in a someday way, I thought to myself miserably. Edward had wanted a family sooner. That had been part of the problem. A big part of the problem. I hadn't wanted one. I could still remember the fear that I had that came from talking, and wondering about the future. The future I wasn't ready for. A future that I wondered if I would ever be ready for. I had missed Esme's answer I realized as Edward went on about Esme's two daughters.

Something in my chest crumbled. I felt like I had just been crushed between my truck and a concrete wall when I heard him say that he had hoped for a son of his own someday. "You will Edward. All you have to do is settle down with the right woman." I felt tears well up in my eyes and I took out my wallet taking out enough money to pay for all our meals, twice with a large tip. I handed the money to Esme when I knew the tears had stopped building up.

"Here you go Esme. Keep the change." Now the hard part. I took a deep breath and I turned to Edward. "It was good to see you again Edward. Take care." I said turning towards, Emmett and Jasper who were shoveling in there pieces of pie faster. Mumbling something about never two seconds to relax. Edward had slowly turned around in his seat and faced me.

"Yeah. Let us know in advance the next time you come to Forks. Forks is proud of you. Maybe next time we can have an official Isabella Swan day. Or maybe a large welcome home parade. What do you think?" He asked sarcastically. That hurt even worse than anything else he was talking about here in the diner. I couldn't ignore that implied insult. And apparently neither could Em or Jazz. They looked like they were about to kill him.

"I think that's a cheap shot," I said, spinning around to face him. "Why don't you let me leave-" I forgot about the pain in my foot and the pain exploded in my foot like a bull out of a chute, and the pain coursed through my whole body. My heart slammed against the wall of my chest like a very well placed hoof, and then my world went completely dark.

AN I guess that I could have went on but why should I? I do not own any of the characters, except for Wild Fire, but he already made his big debut. Now to get you guys more involved I all for a vote. I think I already know what the answer will be but hey if you read the book please answer because I would like to hear about what you thought of the book and if I am doing okay rewriting this. So here is the question:

* If and when Bella has a baby should it be a girl or boy, and what should the name of the baby be?*

Now come and review, I know that you want to press that little green button/bubble! It will make me happy.


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